BHUPALPALLY: The ST-reserved Mulug constituency is gearing up to witness yet another Adivasi-Lambada standoff, with senior TRS leader Azmeera Chandulal and Congress leader Dhanusari Anasurya pitted against each other. However, if sources are to be believed, the Congress leader, affectionately referred to as Seethakka already has an assured edge over Chandulal.
While Mulug’s total vote bank amounts to as many as 1,91,077 votes, the Koya community, an Adivasi tribe to which Seethakka belongs, constitutes as many as 95,000 of those votes. This is as opposed to Mulug’s 16,000 Lambada votes. If the long-simmering tension between the two tribes are anything to go by, the people will be mostly voting for leaders from their respective communities. Chandulal, belonging to the Lambada community, has already been facing severe backlash from the Adivasis. There were multiple instances during the leader’s election campaigns when he was blocked from entering the constituency or asked to leave immediately. Additionally, a case has been booked against the leader’s son and ten others for allegedly attacking the supporters of his opponents. At present, the leader has reportedly resorted to police security to save himself from these frequent confrontations.
Chandulal had won from Mulug in the years 1985 and 1994 as a TDP candidate. Similarly, Seethakka has also seen victory in the constituency in 2009 as a TDP candidate. This time, however, Seethakka seems to have gained an additional advantage. She has gained the backing of former Congress MLA Podem Veeraiah, who had won from the constituency twice before in 1999 and 2004. Ever since the Congress candidate’s name was announced, Veeraiah has been actively campaigning on the behalf of Seethakka.
In addition to this, the senior TRS leader is also facing severe opposition from within the party. Zilla Parishad floor leader Sakinala Shoban is said to be leading a rebellion against Chandulal. Seethakka, who enjoys considerable following in the constituency, is learnt to have been banking on Chandulal’s negative image for her own campaigns.